U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman put a ban on the practice in place in May after the Shermans' legal challenge, but his ruling on Wednesday, which stated that the the law amounted to an unconstitutional endorsement of religion aimed at introducing prayer in public schools, makes his initial ruling permanent.

Schools struggled with the law as districts were left to interpret how long a moment was and when to pause during a morning routine of announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance.